Typewriter keyboard



March 4, 1952 R. L. SMITH TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1949 INVENTOR March 4, 1952 SMITH 2,587,778

TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD Filed April 6, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI March 4, 1952 R, l M H TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 6, 1949 INVENTOR WXM Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNlTED STATES TENT OFF ICE TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD Raymond L. Smith, Arlington, Va. Application April 6, 1949, Serial No. 85,768

My invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly to keyboards therefor.

A prime object is to provide a keyboard of the character mentioned wherein the key heads are so constructed and arranged that they may be depressed to operate the key levers without liability of the fingers of an operator sliding or slipping under the adjacent key heads either forwardly for laterally and on or against adjacent key levers, thus attaining manifest advantages, such as minimizing the danger of injury to such fingers, depression of the wrong key or simultaneous depression of a plurality of keys, and piling of the type. i

,I aim to attain such object by using upright key heads of cylindrical or equivalent form, with the key heads in such proximity that a finger of the operator cannot normally enter the spaces between the key heads, with the amplitude of movement of the key heads such that their upper or striking surfaces are limited to depression to an approximately horizontal plane which intersects the adjacent key heads, and with the key levers disposed out of reach of the fingers of the 11 Claims. (Cl. 197-98) operator and modified to provide the necessary 525 clearance for the vertical movement of the key heads. V

' By reason of my invention a typewriter is rendered more efficient and is operable at greater speed, with increased accuracy and ease, alfording .greater facility to the touch typist, while the construction is nevertheless maintained simple, light and durable, and capable of economical manufacture in various forms for ready and expeditious attachment to the key levers.

Various additional objects and advantages will in part be pointed out and in part become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a keyboard constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the key heads and adjacent portions of the key levers carrying them, an altered position of one key head and a portion of its lever denoted in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts of Fig. 1 but with the key levers disassembled and separated to disclose their specific construction, and with the key heads shown in central longitudinal section.

3 is a front elevation of my improved keyboardwith the relative position of the spacing bar suggested in connection therewith;

Fig. 4 is a view of my present preferred form of key head, being partly in side elevationand partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of that end portion of one of the key levers which carries the key heads.

Fig.6 is a view of the same key head as in Fig. 4 but taken at a right angle thereto, partly in elevation and partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a detailed horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with a key head attached, the latter being shown in central longitudinal section.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the parts of Fig. 8 illustrating one method of removing the key head.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of my improved keyboard.

Fig. 11 is a modified form of key lever similar to Fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is a view showing a modified form of key head in central vertical section, in connection with a modified form of key lever.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the parts of Fig. 12, and

Fig. 14 is an inverted plan view of the parts of Figs. 12 and 13.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar. partsthroughout the different views, and first to Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive, key levers are pr0- vided at [5, l6, l1 and I8, respectively, which denote keys in the first, second, third and fourth transverse rows of keys in a standard keyboard throughout, which keys are to be considered as pivoted and connected in a conventional manner in a conventional typewriting machine. Instead of employing the relatively thin disk-like key heads at their outeror free end portions for depression in operation, I provide the novel and improved heads 19.

It will be observed that each key head I9 is a cylinder of the same external diameter throughout with its longitudinal axis normally vertical, and so vertically elongated and in such proximity that the fingers of an operator cannot normally enter any space between the key heads but rather will be guided by adjacent key heads as use cannot merely replace or be substituted advantageously for the key heads on conventional key levers, as the movement of the key heads in the third and fourth rows of keys would be obstructed by the key levers in the first and second rows. To overcome this difficulty the forward portions of the key levers l and It for the first and second rows have been formed in an approximate U-shape as shown, with the bases of the key heads in the third and fourth rows normally resting above the inner bottom wall of said U-shaped portions a distance at least equal to the permissible extent of the depression of the keys. This arrangement provides clearance for the necessary depression of the key heads I9 'for operation of the key levers in the third and fourth rows of keys. The amplitude of movement of one of the key levers and key heads of the third row is shown in Fig. l as the lower limit thereof appears in dotted lines and the. upper limit of the same appears in full lines. All of the key heads and key levers are depressible correspondingly or approximately to the same extent and hence at the limit of depression of any key head its upper surface will be at an elevation or approximately horizontal plane intersecting all adjacent key heads.

Attention is called to the fact that the key heads 19 in the second row of keys operate between the key levers in the first row, and the key heads in the fourth row operate between the key levers in the third row. It is therefore desirable that the bases of the key heads in the second row extend normally below the upper edge of the adjacent portions of the key levers in the first row, and the bases of the key heads in the fourth row extend normally below the upper edge of the adjacent portions of the key levers of the'third row, as shown. This arrangement acts to guide the downward movement of the key heads in the second and fourth rows and eliminates the possibility of their being sprung laterally and their bases striking the upper edges of adjacent key levers.

Due to the construction and arrangement shown and described, the instant invention in efiect restricts or closes the spaces below the striking surfaces or" the key heads which are open in conventional typewriting machines and which spaces permit the undesirable and injurious movements of the fingers which it is a prime object of my invention to overcome. On the contrary. adjacent key heads serve to guide the fingers of an operator in depressing a key, the key levers are located out ofreach of the fingers of an operator and the latter cannot slide or slip off one key head and beneath another. Greater speed, accuracy and ease of operation are thus accomplished with less danger of injury to the fingers of an operator.

Many specific or different forms of key heads It may be employed to carry out my invention. The form at present preferred will be best understood from a consideration of Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive wherein the key head shown is preferably moulded in a one-piece hollow body 2| from a synthetic resin or plastic material such as Beetle or Celluloid, or of other suitable material. The cylinder or body 2| is open at the bottom and has a slot 22 extending upwardly from its lower edge. It also has an integral internal rib or ridge 23 adjacent the bottom and an integral in-'- ternal web 24 depending from the. top and provided with a recess 25. These key heads are attached to the key leversibypressing them down!- wardly thereover so that the slot 22 is intimately fitted by a key lever and recess 25 is intimately fitted by the stem 2'6 of the key lever. The transverse wall at the top of the slot rests on the key lever, the inner surface of the body 2| above the slot bears against the rearwardly projecting support 21 of the key lever and the rib 23 snaps past and into retaining engagement with the iorwardly projecting lug or bill 28 of the key lever. This lug is preferably formed with a relatively sharp corner 29 as shown so as to enect positive retention of the key heads. ture projects but a Slight distance from the wall of the key head and is beveled particularly on the upper surface as at 30 to insure its springing from, the die in the process of manufacture.

These key heads are removed from the present key levers by pressing their sides inwardly near their bases (by use of pliers or other instrument) in order to bulge or project their opposite side portions and disengage their attaching elements,

'as shown in Fig. 9.

Particularly attention is called. to the fact that the key heads it are hollow and may be formed of a plastic material, thus regardless of their extended length, may be constructed very light, which is a, requisite of typewriter key heads.

Another form of key lever which may be substituted for that described is suggested in big. 11 wherein the engaging portion of the lug 3| is rounded as at 32 enabling the key heads 19 to be snapped oi'i as well as upon their respective key levers, and in the key lever a slot 33 is formed to receive a suitable instrument such as may be designed to remove the key heads.

Another form of key head which may be substituted for that described is suggested in rigs. 12, 13 and 14. This form employs a metallic cylindrical shell 34 with the top of the shell inwardly flanged or constricted at 35 to retain a disk 36 which may be of the same material as body 2|, having a recess 3? entered by lug 38 on the supporting stem 39 of the key lever 40 which latter may otherwise be like those denoted by numerals l5, It, i? and it. This shell 34 has a slot 41 functioning like that at 22. A lug 42 on the lower end of stem 39 enters slot 43 in the metallic disk 4 which is preferably welded or otherwise permanently fixed to lug 42 whereupon retaining prongs 45 are bent inwardly and clinched against disk is to complete the mounting of the cylinder.

Particular attention is called to the. stabiii ing feature of the stems 26 and 39 positioned within the key heads, which greatly simplifies the fastening problem.

It is to be understood that the occasional keys such as the shift keys, back spacer, tabular key or bar, etc. may be carried out under the same generalv plan, 1. e. provided with depending walls with interfering key levers modified as herein described to conform with the keyboard proper.

Attention is called to the fact that by the term cylinder I do not limit myself to a true cylinder but on the contrary I employ it to also cover any approximate or equivalent shape for thekey heads or means which enable the objects and aims of my invention to be attained as. such .colorable deviations fall within its spirit and scope.

As I have described merely preferred embodi- .ments of my invention it willbe clearv that numerous changes and modifications may be: resorted to and certain features thereof may be employed without others, within the aforesaid spirit and scope, as defined by the appended: claims.

What is claimed is:

Said rib 23 in actual manufac-' snap engagement with said lug whereby opposite sides of said head may be forced inwardly to disengage said rib from said lug, the engaging portion of said lug being relatively sharp.

3. In combination, a key lever having an upright stem and a lug adjacent the base thereof, a key head interfitted with said lever, and an internal rib on said head in snap engagement with said lug, the engaging portion of said lug being rounded enabling snap removal of said head.

4. In combination, a key lever having an upright stem, a shell, disk means at the top of s id shell mounted on said stem, said shell being slotted to engage said lever, a lug at the base of said stem, a disk interfitted with said lug, and an attaching prong on said shell overlapping said disk.

5. In combination, a key lever having an upright stem and a lug adjacent the base thereof, a hollow key head interfitted with said lever, and an internal rib on said head in snap engagement with said lug.

6. A keyboard for typewriting machines haw ing four transverse rows of key heads, the

or striking surfaces of the heads in each the rows behind the first row extending at gressive elevations, each of said latter heads hav ing a wall depending into the keyboard a distance at least equal to the distance between the normal striking surfaces of the heads in adjacent transverse rows plus a distance at least equal to the depression stroke of the key, and a key lever on which each head is mounted, the levers mounting the first and second rows of heads having substantially U-shaped key clearance portions, and at least a portion of the bases of the heads of the third and fourth rows when in depressed relation being disposed within said U-shaped portions.

7. The keyboard of claim 6, in which at least a portion of the bases of the heads in the second row extends normally below the upper edge of that portion of adjacent levers mounting the first row of heads positioned laterally of the heads in the second row.

8. The keyboard of claim 6, in which at least a portion of the bases of the heads in the fourth row extends normally below the upper edge of that portion of adjacent levers mounting the third row of heads positioned laterally of the heads in thefourth row.

9. The keyboard of claim 6, in which at least a portion of the bases of the heads in the second row extends normally below the upper edge of that portion of adjacent levers mounting the first row of heads positioned laterally of the heads in the second row, and at least a portion of the bases of the heads in the fourth row extends normally below the upper edge of that portion of adjacent levers mounting the third row of heads positioned laterally of the heads in the fourth row.

10. A keyboard for typewriting machines having four transverse rows of key heads, the upper or striking surfaces of the heads in each of the rows behind the first row extending at progressive elevations, one of the heads of the third row having a wall depending into the keyboard a distance at least equal to the distance between the normal striking surfaces of the heads in adjacent transverse rows plus a distance at least equal to the depression stroke of the key, and a key lever on which each head is mounted, one of the levers of the first row and an adjacent lever of the second row each having a substantially U-shaped key clearance portion, and at least a portion of the base of the said head of the third row when in depressed relation being disposed within said U-shaped portions.

11. A keyboard for typewriting machines having four transverse rows of key heads, the upper or striking surfaces of the heads in each of the rows behind the first row extending at progressive elevations, one of the heads of the fourth row having a wall depending into the keyboard a distance at least equal to the distance between the normal striking surfaces of the heads in adjacent transverse rows plus a distance at least equal to the depression stroke of the key, and a key lever on which each head is mounted, one of the levers of the first row and an adjacent lever of the second row each having a substantially U-shaped key clearance portion, and at least a portion of the base of the said head of the fourth row when in depressed relation being disposed within said U- shaped portions.

RAYMOND L. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 464,868 Hearn et a1 Dec. 8, 1 891 529,571 Wait Nov. 20, 1894 1,087,650" Fox Feb. 1'7, 1914 1,146,331 l-lotson July 13, 1915 1,468,566 Hall Sept. 18, 1923 1,884,384 Thompson Oct. 25, 1932 1,999,877 Jennings Apr. 30, 1935 2,201,776 Jones May 21, 1940 2,223,036 Helmond Nov. 26, 1940 2,354,196 Cahill July 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 386,471 Germany 1923 

